15 DC Heroes Who Are Even More Powerful Than Superman

While Superman is arguably DC Comic’s most popular character (Batman surely has something to say about that), he’s by no means the most powerful.

Long the “Golden Boy” of DC Comics, Superman has always been sold to the public as the superhero — the one who cannot, under any circumstances, be defeated. However, as die-hard comic book fans will surely know, that notion couldn’t be any further from the truth, as there are conceivably dozens DC Comics superheroes who are even more powerful than Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton.

While some of the heroes more powerful than Superman are A-listers, most of them are bottom of the roster characters who the mass public have never heard of. Whether it be through wits, magic, sneaky tricks, sheer power or otherwise, these heroes can all defeat the Man of Steel in one way or another, therefore making them more powerful.

Some of these power struggles have been fleshed in the movies, comics, and cartoons, Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice is the most recent example. And while the casual fan probably scoffed at the idea of the Batman being able to defeat the Superman, real fans knew that Bruce Wayne’s triumph of Clark Kent had a precedent.

If Batman, who is human, had had moments of being more powerful than Superman, then there are surely other DC heroes who have done the same.

So, with that in mind, here are the 15 DC Heroes Who Are Even More Powerful Than Superman.

15. Batman

Controversial, we know, but in a fight between these two characters in their truest form, Batman wins, therefore making him more powerful.

As demonstrated in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, there are several factors that make Batman more powerful than Superman, first and foremost is general intelligence and experience. Bruce Wayne is far more knowledgeable than Clark Kent, meaning Batman would know every last one of Superman’s weaknesses before ever choosing to step into battle.

The second advantage Batman has over Superman is leverage, whether that be emotional or otherwise. For better or for worse, Batman is willing to go much further in order to achieve his goals, leaving all options open when it comes to defeating the Man of Steel.

Put it this way: Superman may be able to bench press heavier weight but Batman makes sure he never even steps foot in the gym.

14. Wonder Woman

In a one-on-one fight, Superman would most likely defeat Wonder Woman. However, if Wonder Woman is lighting, then the Amazons are the storm (lightning, thunder, rain, wind, etc), and the Amazons as a whole are more powerful than Superman.

Not only would the Amazons present numbers challenge for Superman, but in canon, Wonder Woman’s sword can injure Superman, and therefore can kill him. Combine Wonder Woman wielding a deadly weapon and an army of planet Earth’s most fierce warriors and you have yourself a storm that could kill Superman.

It’s a stretch, no doubt, but Superman has been killed before, and he will be killed again, so it’s not out of question to imagine Wonder Woman and the Amazon army being able to do so.

13. Firestorm

Who? Yes, Firestorm is admittedly not one of DC’s most well-known characters, but this is a power contest, not a popularity contest, and Firestorm is one of the few DC heroes who are more powerful than Superman. Even Batman himself has been on record as believing that Firestorm has enough power to take down the Man of Steel.

So what does Firestorm do, exactly? In addition to the standard superhuman strength and the ability to fly, Firestorm can phase through matter unphased, generate nuclear fusion blasts from his hands, and can absorb radiation.

However, the skill that makes Firestorm such a threat to Superman is his ability to rearrange matter, theoretically giving him the ability to turn any matter into kryptonite.

With the ability to absorb radiation and nearly anything into kryptonite, Firestorm is an unheralded, yet serious challenger to Superman’s power.

12. Martian Manhunter

Not only is Martian Manhunter, AKA J’onn J’onzz, more powerful than Superman, but one of the most powerful heroes in DC lore.

The last surviving Green Martian, J’onn J’onzz not only possess many of the same abilites as Superman, such as flight, invulnerability, strength, and heat vision, but also has the powers of telepathy, shapeshifting, and the ability to become intangible.

Given this wide assortment of powers, Martian Manhunter could defeat Superman in a number of ways, the easiest of which would be using his telepathy to “fry” Clark’s brain. Even if J’onn Jonzz did allow Superman to get a punch off, it would merely pass right through him due to his ability to become intangible.

In fact, even Superman himself had admitted that J’onn J’onzz was the “most powerful being on the face of the Earth.”

11. Captain Atom

Another relatively unknown DC character (certainly in relation to Superman), Captain Atom is another unhyped hero whose power rivals, if not succeeds Superman’s.

While Captain Atom has the power of flight, invulnerability, and physical strength, the ability that makes him more powerful than the Man of Steel is that he is able to absorb and expel any radiation, meaning that he could easily absorb and expel blasts of pure kryptonite at Superman.

The Justice League cartoon from over a decade ago pitted these two all-powerful beings against each other, and although Superman eventually came out on top (he is the good guy, after all), Captain Atom showed that he has the capacity to defeat Superman through his raw power, fighting skills, and weaponization of red sun radiation.

10. Shazam

The Shazam (Captian Marvel) vs. Superman debate is one of the great arguments amongst DC fanboys, as the two have gone toe-to-toe in comic book arcs such as “Kingdom Come” and “Superman/Batman Public Enemies”, as well as the Justice League series.

While Clack Kent and Captain Marvel are essentially equal in terms of power and speed, fans usually give Shazam the edge as he possesses a power that is one of Superman’s most famous weakness: magic. Put simply, Captain Marvel is the same as Superman with the ability to use magic.

In DC lore, Captain Marvel has bested Superman a number of times, even knocking him out cold once. Even Superman himself has admitted that he’d be unable to defeat the all-mighty Captain Marvel.

9. Green Lantern Corps

Notice how we were careful to say the Green Lantern Corps, as one Green Lantern, whether it be Hal Jordan, John Stewart or otherwise, is certainly not more powerful than the Man of Steel. But together, the Green Lantern Corps makes up one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

The Green Lantern Corps, the intergalactic police force that keeps peace in the DC Multiverse, has been in existence for three billion years, meaning they certainly have the wealth of knowledge to know how to defeat a Kryptonian such as Clark Kent.

While we’re unsure exactly how many Green Lanterns it would take to outgun the Man Of Steel, we know that should all of them commit to the cause, they would easily be a force more powerful than Superman himself.

8. Doctor Fate

Noticing a theme here? The theme is that a majority of the heroes with the capability to be more powerful than Superman are some of DC’s overlooked and underrated superheroes. And Doctor Fate is definitely one of those unheard of heroes who could topple the Man of Steel.

As previously mentioned, one of Superman’s most notorious weaknesses is magic, as he has no legitimate defense for it, making him capable of being defeated by a powerful magician such as Doctor Fate.

Widely considered one of the most powerful sorcerers in the DC Multiverse, not only is Doctor Fate one of the most dangerous magic wielders in DC lore, Doctor Fate also has the abilities of super strength, telepathy, invulnerability, telekinesis, and can even manipulate lightning.

7. The Flash

While the Flash boasts far more pure foot speed than the Man of Steel, according to that scene from Justice League, that doesn’t mean Superman can’t stop him.

However, that said, there is one weapon that the Flash possess that makes him more powerful, and that is the infinite mass punch. While the explanation itself involves a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo, the easiest way to explain it with a quote from The Flash himself, who once said that at lightspeed, the infinite mass punch feels like being hit by a “white dwarf star.”

The fact remains for that as fast as Superman may be, the Flash will always be faster, giving him a very distinct advantage over Superman, clearing a path for him to be more powerful.

6. Supergirl

You all know how the old saying goes: fight fire with fire and fight a Kryptonian with a Kryptonian.

At the very least Superman’s equal, Supergirl is considered by some in the DC Multiverse to be even more powerful than her cousin, including Batman, who has repeatedly warned Clark of Kara Zor-El’s power.

While Superman has occasionally held back while doing battle with his cousin Kara, the argument could be made that Supergirl is more of a wildcard than Superman, making her both more dangerous and therefore more powerful.

Furthermore, while not considered “canon” by most DC fans, the version of Kara Zor El is the CW’s Supergirl is definitively more powerful than her male counterpoint Clark Kent.

Either way, if anyone in the DC Multiverse has a shot at being more powerful than the Last Son of Krypton, it’s the Last Daughter of Kryptonian.

5. The Swamp Thing

The Swamp Thing (aka Dr. Alec Holland) is a humanoid that has mastered the elements of Fire, Earth, Water and Air.

Along with his ability to create and manipulate the elements of the Earth, the Swamp Thing can inhabit and animate vegetable matter anywhere, essentially making him one with the planet he inhabits.

Furthermore, is he more or less immortal, as he can endlessly regrow damaged or severed body parts, which a certainly a power that the Man of Steel does not boast.

While not necessarily known for his strength in comparison to his other elemental abilities, the Swamp Thing is arguably one of the most powerful beings in the DC Comics Multiverse

Given his inherently frightening nature, Swamp Thing will never be one of DC’s most famous characters, but he will always be one of it’s more powerful, even more so than Superman.

4. Superboy-Prime

Put simply, Superboy-Prime is an alternate universe version of Superman on steroids gone rogue. With twice the strength, speed, and ruthlessness of Superman, Superboy-Prime is one of the most dangerous villains in the DC Multiverse As Pete Cambell of Mad Men once famously said, “Not great, Bob!”.

One of the strongest non-magic heroes in the entire DC Multiverse, Superboy-Prime began as a hero during Crisis On Infinite Earths, before eventually going insane and becoming evil in Infinite Crisis.

In the comics, Superboy Prime is unquestionably more powerful and more deranged than Superman, having killed Superman from Earth-2 and murdered multiple Green Lanterns.

While the collection of the Justice League was able to temporarily stop Superboy Prime, there’s no question that he’s almost infinitely more powerful than the original Superman.

3. The Spectre

As perhaps the most obscure name on the list so far, The Spectre’s powers are virtually endless as they are literally that of a god.

The Spectre, who literally has the powers of a god, has the ability to manipulate of time and space, control all matter, invulnerability, and limitless strength. If that’s not considered more powerful than Superman, we don’t know what is.

Widely considered the most powerful DC superhero in terms of abilities, The Spectre has no tangible weakness, either.

Similar to Superman, while The Spectre is immune to most damage, he has show a vulnerability to magic, as he has been tricked by villains such as Psycho Pirate and Eclipso. The Spectre is immune to most damage, although he can be hurt by powerful magic.

2. Doctor Manhattan

Another god-like character in terms of abilities, Doctor Manhattan, AKA Dr. Jonathan Osterman, is unquestionably more powerful than the Man of Steel. Widely considered one of the most powerful beings in DC canon, Doctor Manhattan became the major antagonist in the DC Multiverse following DC Comics’ Rebirth arc.

Doctor Manhattan is omnikinetic, which gives him the power to manipulate anything and everything. He does not sleep, nor does he require food or water. He can teleport himself and others over endless time and distances.

The definition of absolute power, Doctor Manhattan can manipulate all matter at his will, giving him the ability to literally turn Superman into a pile of ashes in less than a second.

How the heroes of the DC Multiverse will stop Doctor Manhattan is yet to be seen, but if one thing is for certain, it’s that Superman won’t be able to do it alone.

1. Phantom Stranger

Another heralded magician in the DC Multiverse, the Phantom Stranger finds himself on this list because his greatest strength is widely considered Superman’s greatest weakness: magic.

Never aging, the Phantom Stranger can fire energy bolts of energy, travel through space and time unharmed, wield magic and create illusions.

While the origins and limits of the Phantom Stranger’s powers are largely unknown, his most well-known ability is his omniscience, as he inexplicably knows everything about any character and situation he comes across in the DC Multiverse

The Phantom Stranger has been a hero for the entirety of his publication, but should he ever turn into a villain, he would be a particularly difficult one for the Man of Steel due to his combination of magic and knowledge.

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Are there any heroes stronger than Superman who we missed? Do you think one of these heroes doesn’t belong? Let us know in the comment section!